Quick answer: The Washington metro employs about 9,260 data scientists (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through job postings in your target market for the tools they name.
Compare data analytics programs enrolling now:
Licensing
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Data analytics is not licensed. Employers typically screen on demonstrated SQL, visualization and statistics skill; vendor certificates are common but optional, and the degree’s business coursework is what separates the analytics route from a bootcamp.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 3 schools
within 4 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
3 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Data Scientists in the Washington area earn a median $132,200 per year, above the national median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Data Analytics Pay in Washington, DC
Metric
Washington metro
District of Columbia
National
Median annual wage
$132,200
$126,490
$120,230
10th percentile
$85,250
$89,750
$67,240
25th percentile
$105,700
$105,320
$85,660
75th percentile
$172,960
$174,650
$158,880
90th percentile
$212,320
$209,730
$199,130
Employment
9,260
2,680
262,440
Location quotient
1.75
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Washington median of $132,200 is above the national median of $120,230, and above the District of Columbia statewide median of $126,490 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.75 means data scientists are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Analyst roles exist across every industry, so this market tracks total employment, with extra depth where corporate headquarters and health systems cluster.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do data scientists make in Washington?
The median annual wage for data scientists in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area is $132,200, above the national median of $120,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many data scientists work in the Washington area?
The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area employs about 9,260 data scientists (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do data scientists in Washington need a license?
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Data analytics is not licensed. Employers typically screen on demonstrated SQL, visualization and statistics skill; vendor certificates are common but optional, and the degree's business coursework is what separates the analytics route from a bootcamp. Confirm current requirements with job postings in your target market for the tools they name.
Can I study data analytics online from Washington?
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies job postings in your target market for the tools they name.
Is Washington a better market than the rest of District of Columbia?
The Washington metro median is $132,200 against a statewide median of $126,490 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
